Sample packets will be sent by mail in about 6-12 weeks. Samples are only available in Mountain Breeze fragrance. U.S. households only. Limit one Purex sample per household per 12 months. While supplies last.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Maybe the title is a little harsh. He could have been a lot worse, but he did seem to not know what he was doing. Had to redo some of his work, multiple times and even though he was suppose to check and make sure the internet was working on all computers, he failed to even connect the hardwired computers. He didn't even set up my Time-Warner email address. Currently I have internet access and I can retrieve my domains email, but because the outgoing settings do not match Time-Warner's I cannot send out going emails. which is a problem as I have a number of readers who I need to respond to. Hopefully by the end of this weekend I can get these problems resolved by spending some time on the phone with tech support. --- go ahead share your thoughts with me now, my ears are open. I'm always eager to hear what you think.

The suggestions are simple but the actions are difficult. If you want to make a real change in your finances you will need to take some hard steps. These are just five simple habits you can develop towards a much more stable financial future. This website has many more ways to save.

1. Create a Spending Plan

The first step is to know where the money is going. Collect all of the monthly bills and bank statements and track where every penny went for an entire month. Include the tip for the pizza delivery, the newspaper, and the toll from the weekend day trip. Once everything is listed, it is easier to see where some places could be cut back. Plan for all of the bills that have to be paid. Plan for some fun. And plan for savings.

2. Build an Emergency Fund

There will always be an appliance that dies, a car that needs repair, or a medical bill that wasn't expected. By having a cash cushion, you will be less likely to use a credit card or other type of loan to get you through a tough time. Start small with at least $500 to cover most minor emergencies. Later, build it up to cover several months of expenses in case you lose your job.

3. Pay Off Debt

Car loans, credit cards, student loans and home equity loans all come with large interest rates and keep you from spending that money on other things. They are counted against you when you apply for a mortgage, or have your credit report pulled for a job application. Take any extra money you can to pay the debts off sooner. Some people like to do the smallest first, others like to do the one with the most interest. Regardless of your method, find a way to eliminate the debt as fast as you can.

4. Save for Retirement

Many companies match a certain percent of your pay towards retirement. If the company offers a match on 3 percent of a $30,000 salary, that is like getting an extra $900 a year. Add in the tax benefits of reducing your income and it is a win-win. Every little bit helps and the power of compound interest will allow amounts to grow over time, even in a poor economy. Don't allow a bad economy to be your excuse for putting this off.

5. Decide If This Is a Want or a Need

Can you live a simpler life? Perhaps you can borrow movies and books from the library instead of buying them. Making a home-cooked meal would be healthier and cheaper than eating out. That great shirt that is on sale looks like three you already have in your closet. Taking the time to really consider what is needed and removing the excess will allow you to spend the money on things that you truly enjoy and value instead of just buying another bauble out of habit.

In Conclusion…

Wise doesn't have to be boring. A person can live a full life without personal finance troubles. These steps are not easy and could take many months to achieve, but the financial freedom is well worth it.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Okay, so we now have the internet reconnected and we are back. So first things first. We are going to do a combined freebie list today.

You can get a free sample of Tide's new Tide Pods. Tide pods are little pods that are filled with laundry detergent, stain remover, and color brightener all in one. Simply place this great product in your wash and check out how great your clothes look and smell.

Here's one that I knew about before Valentine's Day. I almost hesitate to post it, but married couples should diffidently take advantage of it. Wet is introducing their new personal lubricant, Synergy. This water-base lubricant is long lasting and has a natural feel. It is odorless and washes away easily with some gentle warm water. Get free samples of this new product by filling out a very quick request. Make sure you click on the confirmation email to complete your free sample request. Sample requests are only accepted between 7am PST and 7 pm PST (that's 10 Eastern, 9 Central or 8 Mountain).

Need a protein boost? A quick and easy breakfast? A tasty bite to tide you over before dinner? With the complete line of delicious, naturally flavored nutrition bars from Life Choice™, you can choose the perfect snack to meet your body’s changing demands and complement your healthy lifestyle. Get this great Life Choice™ sample from the WalMart website.

Today is Valentines Day. The day where all over the United States we celebrate our love for that special someone. Today, I will be dong so in this public forum.

I the "Prince of Thrift" would like to give a great big Valentines Day shout out to the most wonderful woman in my life. Even as we prepare to move this week to our new digs, I want you to know (and I don't care who else knows) that I love you. You are my one and only gal. The gal I am committed to for the rest of my life. It's not always easy, but life isn't easy either. Like the swans of the legends and folklore you are the one for me. Together we will continue to dream of our future and our new house "La Maison du Cygne." Just remember that my heart, body, mind and soul is always thinking of you no matter where I am.

Monday, February 13, 2012

For people trying to rebuild their credit, obtaining a credit card with reasonable terms has always been a challenge, which is why we have written in the past about the benefits of secured credit cards as a practical alternative. Lately, there has been a proliferation of credit card promotions offering instant approval for people of all credit standings, including those who may have been denied credit in the past. Instant approval offers are tempting because you can simply go online, fill in a brief application, submit, and, bada-boom! You have your answer. If you don’t like the answer, you can simply move on to the next offer and try again. And, therein lies the problem.

In the past, anytime you submitted an application for credit, even those zippy instant approval applications, an inquiry is made on your credit report. When your credit report shows more than one or two inquiries made within a six month period, it lowers your credit score. That may be changing, as at least two credit card issuers, Capital One and Credit One Bank, have introduced instant approval cards that don’t require a credit inquiry, leaving your credit score unscathed.

So, with that, does it make more sense to apply for an unsecured, instant approval credit card, or a secured credit to meet your credit needs? In our recent article, Best Card to Build Credit? Secured Card vs. Debit Cards, we compared secured cards with debit cards making the case that, with secured cards you can build your credit score and have many of the same benefits as an unsecured card. But the secured card requires a deposit, and, typically, their rates and fees tend to be higher than unsecured cards. They can also be laden with hidden fees that can drain your secured deposit.

In many cases with instant approval cards, you never know what you’re going to get in terms of the APR or your credit limit until you apply. Obviously, the better your credit score, the lower your APR will be. Also, instant approval cards, especially those geared to people with less than perfect credit, charge higher annual fees. The problem with these offers is you can’t always see all of the fine print until after you apply. However, that is not the case with the Credit One Bank and Capital One instant approval credit cards. Their APR, fees, and limits are clearly stated on the online form. Furthermore, with the ability to get an instant response to your application without it affecting your credit score, you won’t be any worse off if you’re not approved.

Capital One now offers instant credit approval (60 seconds) for a MasterCard with no processing or application fees. You receive all of the benefits of their standard cards, including $0 fraud liability, 24/7 account access, and automatic reporting to the three major credit bureaus. The APR ranges from 10.90% to 24.90% depending on your credit history.

Credit One offers an instant approval credit card with credit lines up to $1,500 based on your credit history. There are no enrollment fees or over limit fees. The APR is currently 23.90% and it charges a $75 first year annual fee ($99 thereafter).

Thursday, February 9, 2012

by Kevin SurbaughI have written this blog for several years now. The thing is it is not about me. I may have made it sound like it was, and for that I am sorry. The fact is it is about God in Heaven and what he has taught me. I sometimes mess up and stray from that teaching, but that is what makes this blog real. Some over the years have not liked that, but that's okay to. Because it is God that I want all the glory to go to. Not me or any man.

Many of you know that I have desired to be able to do this full time. Thus far I have not been able to get beyond earning more then what was needed to keep the page up and running. Even with accepting advertising. I personally hate having any advertising on the site especially the front page. If God seen fit to to lead His followers to support His work through me, I would take the ads off the front page and relegate them to the "Thank You" page only. Then again if God seen fit to provide through any or all those advertising efforts, I would continue to welcome them as well. Again, it is not about me, but rather glorifying God and communicating what His word has to say about budgeting.

As such this site will continue to list freebie offers and couponing tips as ways to help stretch those dollars that we all struggle with.

It is my hope that you as a reader will comment more on the blog, use the budget forms and consider how you might play a part in this ministry. May God richly bless your day and the rest of your life, as we put our past behind us and continue looking towards Him.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

The busyness of Christmas time settled down quickly after most of our house guests left shortly after the new year, leaving just Elias with us. And then the school year started up, with Yuli teaching second grade at a school nearby, and Elias beginning his senior year of high school. It felt strange to all of a sudden have so many less people in the house! The kids from Casa Shalom have also returned from their vacation and are now busy with the new school year. It's fun to be back with them working on homework and projects together.

Elias has now been with us for almost 2 months, and we've really enjoyed having him here in our home. We even got to celebrate his 21st birthday with him about three weeks ago. Yuli's family has also been incredibly welcoming and wonderful to Elias. They have been a great help and support to Yuli and I! Elias has now even started calling some of Yuli's sisters "tia". (which mean aunt)

We are incredibly grateful that God has brought us here to serve, and that He has brought Elias into our lives. We pray that we will do a good job raising him, and we ask that you pray that God continues to guide our ministry to Elias and for the guys who will come to live with us in the future.

Here are some prayer requests for February:

Please pray for Elias. He's in his senior year of high school and works very hard at it. Because of long bus rides he leaves very early and is gone for 12 hours everyday. Pray pray for him as he lives and grows with us and as he decides what to do after graduation.

Please pray for our land. We have not been able to start construction this month like we hoped. We're still waiting for the final land title to return from a government office. It's been frustrating to wait, as it's taken about 3 months longer than we anticipated. Sometimes it's hard to know exactly why it's been delayed so long, but it's mostly a mixture of the craziness of elections and new government officials taking office and slowdowns due to Christmas break. We were supposed to receive the final paperwork at the end of January, but our lawyer had mixed up some numbers. So we've resubmitted the paperwork and now are waiting for it to be accepted.

Please pray for Yuli and me. Please pray that we get to spend sufficient time together, and that God continues to bind our hearts together. Pray that the busyness of the world would not distract us from growing together as spouses.

Please pray James 1:2-4 for us:"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." We are young and new at this, and we NEED God's wisdom in our lives. Please pray that He would always be our focus and our guide!

Thank you so much for your prayers for us!

As we've mentioned in the past, we've been trying to decide for the past few months what name to call the ministry. Many have recommended an obvious pun on our last name to call it "the Potter's House". The idea is from Jeremiah 18, where God says, "like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand". What we decided that we like even more is the name "the Potter's Home" because our desire is to create a loving home where God can form these guys into men. What do you think?

Thanks again for your support and prayers! The messages and emails that we receive are so encouraging to us. You are a great blessing to our lives!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

One of the things I have always want for as long as I can remember is solar panels on my home. Solar panels however can be quite expensive, and I am not sure sure how I will ever afford the initial outlay. Even though the eventual savings will be well worth it. However, I did see how to make a solar panel recently and wondered is it possible? Can I make my own solar panel and save money on that to? You can bet I am looking into that. Now I just need my own house again. ---------- My name is Kevin, and that's what I think. What do you think? Agree? Disagree?

Thursday, February 2, 2012

If you got into debt by using credit cards, it might be hard to believe that your ticket out of debt is simply moving that debt to another card. But a balance transfer to another credit card could help get you on the path to being debt free, if you do it the right way.

Reasons to do a Balance Transfer

There are at least a couple of reasons to do a balance transfer to try to lower or eliminate your debt.

For one thing, the initial transfer may extend the period of time you have to make a credit card payment. For example, when you transfer a balance to a new card, you'll have a full payment cycle until you need to make a payment on that card. So if you make the transfer late in the payment cycle on your first card, you'll essentially get to skip a payment.

Another advantage of a balance transfer is the ability to consolidate debt. If you have a high-enough credit limit, you may be able to transfer several balances onto one card, which can make it easier to manage your debt and avoid late payments and the penalty fees that come along with them.

Of course, the biggest benefit of a balance transfer is a lower interest rate. There's really no reason to do a balance transfer if you're not getting a lower interest rate. If you have good credit, you may get balance transfer offers with low teaser rates, sometimes even as low as 0 percent for up to 12 months. If you take advantage of this, you can make a serious dent in your credit card debt.

Potential Pitfalls

If you want to get out of debt by using balance transfers, you have to be alert for pitfalls that could derail your savings.

The first thing to consider is the fees. Almost all balance transfer offers come with fees. A typical fee is 3 percent of the balance. That may not be a big deal if you only owe a couple thousand dollars, but if you owe a large amount, it can eat into any savings you are realizing. For example, if you owe $15,000, you'll pay $450 in fees to transfer the balance. If you are transferring a large balance, look for credit cards that have a cap on fees.

Another thing to watch out for is the interest rate terms. Many cards have different rates for balance transfers and purchases. If you get a card that has a low teaser rate on balance transfers, the same rate may not apply to purchases. That means if you intend to use the card for purchases, you could be hit with higher interest charges, because most cards will apply your payment to the debt with the lower interest rate first. If you intend to use the card purchases, try to find one that offers the same rate for balance transfers and purchases.

Finally, pay attention to the regular interest rate on the card, not just the teaser rate. Assuming you are not going to be able to pay off the entire debt during the teaser rate period, it's important to know what rate you'll be paying in six months or a year. If you transfer debt from a card that has a 15 percent interest rate to one that offers 2.9 percent for six months but afterward has a rate of 20 percent, you could wind up paying more in the long run, which defeats the whole purpose of a balance transfer.

Thank You

Finance

We have been in the title loans industry for over 4 years and have helped people get out of tight situations, ranging from hospital bills to starting new businesses. We are here to help you get the money you need until you can get yourself back on track.